Anna Whittemore

Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology

Overview

I am an anthropological bioarchaeologist interested in the intersection of migration and power. In particular, I study the ways in which political structure informs migration and mobility patterns, and the consequences of migration on the embodied experiences of past individuals. In my dissertation project, I will study patterns of health, injury, diet, and mobility among Inka-era (ca. 1400-1550) individuals buried at probable imperial labor colonies in the district of Huancasancos (Department of Ayacucho) in the south-central Peruvian Andes using bioarchaeological and isotopic methods. This will allow me to explore how the life experiences and vulnerabilities of individuals and communities transplanted by the empire differed from those who remained in their homelands. Ultimately, my goal is to broaden anthropological understanding of the biocultural consequences of coerced and forced migrations under imperial regimes.

Research Focus